Connor McDavid living up to hype for Oilers

A server at a Whyte Avenue establishment was asked what she thought of Edmonton Oilers phenom Connor McDavid.

“You mean McJesus?” she replied.

Yes, the excitement and hyperbole have reached that extent in Edmonton, especially since the 19-year-old rookie McDavid returned from injury this month to put up 12 points in only six games.

Before taking on the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night at Rexall Place, McDavid was still basking in the glow of a five-point performance Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Not that you would have been able to tell from his demeanor on game day.

“Overall, it’s going OK,” he said to the daily crush of reporters gathered around his stall in the Oilers locker room.

“I feel pretty good out there and I’m doing some good stuff but there’s always things to work on.”

If McDavid is downplaying his performance, it seems nobody else in the Oilers organization is. Veteran centre Matt Hendricks said the rookie’s return from injury has turned the team’s feeling about its season around.

“Coming into the season, I knew he was a highly touted player but what he’s done is come in here and give our room new life,” Hendricks said. “His abilities, there just aren’t that many comparables out there. He can take over games and he showed it the other night against the Maple Leafs. Without him in the lineup, we don’t win that game.

“I’d compare it a little bit to when I played with Ovie (Alex Ovechkin), but he’s a pure goal scorer. I think Connor’s ability to just explode, find guys in open areas and understand the game so well is something different. He’s got such a good mind. He’s meeting the expectations right now.”

McDavid’s linemate Jordan Eberle, who picked up a hat-trick against Toronto, said he and left-winger Benoit Pouliot even get caught watching what the young magician can do.

“I’ve had a chance to play with a lot of first overall picks on this team, like Taylor (Hall) and Nuge (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) and I played with Sidney Crosby at the world championship,” Eberle said. “(McDavid’s) speed is what makes him stand out above a lot of other guys. He’s a young player and he’s doing things at an elite level already and the scary thing is he’s only going to get better.”

Oilers coach Todd McLellan has been trying to keep the McDavid hype in check. After the rookie scored three points in his first game back from injury, McLellan told the media people can’t expect that kind of performance every night.

“And then he goes out and gets five,” McLellan said.

McLellan was asked how McDavid has been able to find himself on so many breakaways in recent games.

“Have you seen how fast he is?” the coach deadpanned.

“He has the ability to strip pucks and maintain momentum while he’s doing it. His read and anticipation skills are elite.

“He was frustrated when he got injured and he was frustrated throughout the whole recovery phase. So he’s just a hungry player. He wants to prove to himself and to his teammates and our fans that he can maintain a high level of play night in and night out.”

Even opponents can get caught up in the excitement of seeing such a young player take the league by storm.

“I’d probably be lying if I said no,” Jets defenceman Tyler Myers said. “The hype he has generated even when he was in junior suggested he was a special player. But he seems to be proving it already this year.”

So how does a guy who is the biggest star in Edmonton since Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier left town manage it all? A nickname like McJesus is kind of hard to live up to.

“The fans of Edmonton have been great with me and have given me my space as well,” McDavid said. “I obviously appreciate that and it’s been great to be a part of this city and get to know the fans a little bit better. You can still go out “¦ you just pick your spots and just be smart about it.”

As Hendricks puts it, McDavid has simply learned how to deal with being a budding superstar.

“Take hockey out of the picture and throw it out the window, he’s a great kid with a great head,” he said.

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.